Started since August 9, 2016, with processions in 57 different cities, the Maratha Kranti Morcha made its maiden entry in the state capital and will end the year-long campaign through processions by submitting a memo to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Pic/Rane Ashish

The state government, police, BMC and other agencies were fully geared since the past 24 hours as participants in the mega-morcha started trickling in from different parts of the state since Monday night.

While the authorities anticipate participation of between 500,000-800,000 Marathas from across the state, the organisers are optimistic it will be the jewel in the crown of all morchas so far with the figure crossing three million. Pic/Suresh K.K

Meanwhile, the Maratha brigade which trooped into Mumbai from the five entry points, besides the railways, resulted in huge traffic jams in Mumbai and adjacent districts of Thane, Raigad and Palghar. Pic/Akshay Dhamale

They reached the state capital by trains, private vehicles, trucks, tempos and even two-wheelers waving Maratha flags and sporting bright orange turbans, entering through railway stations and the entry points

Senior Congress leader Narayan Rane told media persons that the procession will start marching from Byculla, south Mumbai at 11 a.m. in a peaceful and orderly manner, silently, without political speeches and terminate at the historic Azad Maidan some four kms away at 5 p.m. Pic/Subodh Vishwasrao

Since midnight, 50,000 men in khaki have been deployed at strategic locations across the city. All leave has been cancelled and every cop in the force, right from constable to police commissioner, will be out on duty today (Pic/Yogesh Chavan)

South Mumbai's schools will remain quiet as well. Students of schools have been given the day off, so they are not inconvenienced by traffic congestion expected due to Maratha Kranti Morcha (Pic/Yogesh Chavan)